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After getting off the plane, Lisa and I went through to the baggage check. After a wait (which I would come to realize as a characteristic of Italian culture) we finally got our bags and headed to the transport company that Temple Rome arranged to take us to our residence. Keep in mind we never had to go through customs or anything, which was surprising. After being shuffled between about 4 different drivers our bags were stuffed into the van and ready to go. And here is where I got my first taste of Italians and their driving. The driver was a guy maybe a few years younger than me, with a finely trimmed beard and hipster buddy holly glasses. He wore a shirt a size too small and tight pants. His partner in the passenger's seat wore a trucker cap. Astounded that the hipsters had invaded Italy, I sat down to a German mother and son. Behind us were two Spaniards, and Lisa got tucked in there as well.
Then we were off. The driver didn't wear a seatbelt, drove 40 kph over the speed limit, and weaved in and out of lanes. He either didn't use
his turn signal, or he used it about 500 meters before he had to. The Roman traffic was insane and we had to stop for more diesel fuel, which the driver used a glove to handle (my introduction to the germophobia that Italians have). While we were waiting, the other guy up front started talking to us. He spoke good English, and was telling me about his travels. Originally from Sicilia, he just came back from Jakarta, Indonesia. He sung praises of Roma, and how he wished he could see everything for the first time again. When we reached our destination, this fellow (whose name I never learned), came in for the real thing - something which I was informed of but didn't expect so soon.
After our bags were unloaded and the fee paid in euro coins (which lightened my pockets about a pound), I went into the residence. The brusque manner of the doorman did not affect my enthusiasm, and I went directly to me room, where I met my roommates Jon and Ryan. Temple Rome was holding a get together pizza party and I certainly wasn’t going to miss it. A large number of
us walked down the Via Medaglie d’Oro to the Via Andrea Doria (which turns into the Via Melizie) which runes right by Temple Rome. The campus is on a building at the east bank of the Tiber River, right next to the administrative headquarters of the Italian Navy.
We were introduced to each other, the Dean, and Roman pizza. I had some slices of artichoke and some sort of head cheese pizza. Both were delicious. After orientation some people went back. I went with a group of students back to the Residence. Unfortunately, we took the wrong bus and got lost for 45 minutes while trying to get back with no Italian between us. Eventually, we made it back and I promptly went to sleep. The next morning, I woke up after 13 hours of slumber. My roommates reported that most people got smashed and fulfilled the ugly American stereotype the night before. I slept too soundly to hear it.
Since I had practically eliminated jet lag, I was excited for the orientation and our walking tour. I first order un caffe e cornetto from the bar next door. This was my first Italian
caffe (espresso in the U.S.) and at firs the strength set me aback. It was bitter, but with a warm roasted flavor and it smelled amazing. I quickly quaffed it and dove into my cornetto. This is the Italian version of the croissant and I say I prefer it over the latter. It is slightly sweet, and not nearly as buttery. It was light and filled with an apple jam. The owner’s wife had just brought them out of the oven and the entire place smelled like baking bread and coffee. Breakfast was 2 euro!
We then walked down back to campus. The orientation was fun and informative, but everyone was most excited to take a guided tour of the city. Temple’s Rome campus is located 10 minutes from Piazza di Popolo and thus within very close distance to the Tridente and famous sights such as the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Trajan’s Column. We first had lunch at a ristorante near campus, and then headed to the Piazza di Popolo. Here we were introduced to the metro and how to purchase bigletto – tickets – for the metro. For 1 euro you get a train
ride in one direction and 75 minutes on any number of busses. I prefer the metro, since it satisfies the German and British in me with its regular schedule. The busses run far too sporadically for my tastes.
The Piazza di Popolo was beautiful, especially the sculpture on the Porto di Popolo, one of the medieval gates to the city of Rome. Next were the Spanish Steps – beautiful but crowded. I will have to come again earlier or later in the evening. We walked the Via Condotti – home of many expensive Italian designer clothes. Our guide then popped into a bar for a quick caffé, which meant that I would as well. We then visited the Trevi fountain, which was mobbed. We bought some of the roasted chestnuts (delicious) and watched people. The fountain is gorgeous; the sculpture exudes drama in every form. Among the group we tried to decipher the Latin inscriptions all over it. I did not get a chance to get too close because of how crowded it was.
Right down the street was the Pantheon…something I had wanted to see all my life. It was breathtaking! The streets
rise around it, and the Pantheon – now at street level, used to be on a 30 foot pedestal! Across from it is an obelisk (the second I saw of the day), obviously stolen from Egypt by a victorious Roman legion. The Pantheon is momentous however. The holes in the pediment made me wonder what sort of sculpture once greeted worshippers of all the gods of Rome Inside, it looks like a church. That’s because it is. It probably survived its 1,900 some odd years because of it being Christianized. Personally, I wish it would be restored to its Roman form; however that would be untrue to its heritage (it’s been a church much longer than it’s been a Roman temple).
Continuing, we saw the Archivo di Stato which had weird Jesus sculptures in the courtyard. Our tour ended at the Piazza Navona. There the remnants of the group relaxed and had an incredibly overpriced beer. The last few of us walked over to the Largo di Torre Argentina. This site is where Caesar died and held great important for me. I pondered the ruins there (30 feet below street level), and tried to imagine what that
place saw over the last two thousand years. After this, I took the metro home.
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